Upon release, legitimate key resellers like Humble Bundle or Fanatical often offer 15-20% off pre-orders. Never use G2A (grey market), but Humble Bundle donates to charity.
Q: Is Europa Universalis V actually free-to-play?
A: No. Paradox has confirmed it is a premium title. Free-to-play would ruin the grand strategy genre.
Q: Will EU5 be on Pirate Bay?
A: Even if it were cracked (which takes 6+ months for Denuvo-protected games), you would be playing a buggy, out-of-date version with no multiplayer. Is your time worth $0? Probably not.